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Modifiable futures: science fiction at the bench
1Department of English and Program in Science and Technology Studies, University of California, Davis, California 95616, USA.
Summary
Science fiction
Area of Science:
- The intersection of science fiction and the history of science.
- Literary studies examining scientific discourse and popular science.
- Investigating the role of speculative fiction in scientific innovation.
Background:
- Historical and literary studies increasingly recognize "literary technologies" in science.
- Metaphorical language and popular science writing influence scientific knowledge development.
- Conventional views on authorship and textual unity obscure literature's role in innovation.
Observation:
- Science fiction's function in scientific and technological innovation is often overlooked.
- Close encounters between scientific practice and speculative fiction are frequently misconstrued.
- Traditional academic frameworks struggle to account for literature's impact on science.
Findings:
- This essay proposes analyzing science fiction's role in science through appropriation, remixing, and modification.
- Reconceptualizing the interaction between science and speculative fiction is essential.
- Adopting new analytical frameworks reveals hidden connections and influences.
Implications:
- Understanding science fiction's influence can enrich the history of science.
- New perspectives on literary technologies can illuminate scientific innovation processes.
- Recognizing appropriation and remixing broadens our understanding of knowledge creation in science and literature.
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